24 | What goes into award-winning work?

There’s a big difference between good branding and great branding. One might look good, ticking some boxes or following trends, but the other is deeply rooted in strategy and crafted to deliver impact across every touchpoint. Our excellent team at OurCreative. always strives for the latter, and that ambition and mindset leads to award-winning results. We were recently honoured with multiple awards from the World Brand Design Society across the photography, illustration, packaging, and identity categories.

As we kick off another year of delivering outstanding work, we think we’ve earned the right to brag a little. In this blog, we’re spotlighting the work behind each award, the thinking that made it stand out, and what it means to be part of an award-winning branding agency today. If you're a challenger brand looking to make waves – or a designer looking to learn in a high-performing studio – you're in the right place.

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Nothing short of Exceptional: Asda's Exceptional wins silver for photography

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Exceptional by Asda is the retailer’s most ambitious own-label launch yet. Replacing Extra Special, it needed to feel truly premium across hundreds of SKUs, and photography had to lead the way.

Rather than rely on the usual food styling tricks, we stripped things back. Our approach was bold and cinematic, with moody lighting, architectural compositions, and zero distractions. The food was the hero, every time.

We worked closely with specialist food photographers to define a style rooted in drama and restraint, characterised by clean backdrops, deep shadows, and controlled highlights. Nothing on set was arbitrary and everything served the brand’s positioning: All. About. Taste.

Photography here wasn’t just an afterthought or an add on. It was a strategic tool to elevate perception, build consistency, and shift Exceptional from a name into a promise. The WBDS judges recognised that it had been considered as a core brand asset and how Our creative direction was distinctive, consistent, and built for scale.

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Elevated through craft: Asda's Exceptional wins silver for illustration

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To bring unity across hundreds of premium-tier packs, Exceptional needed an ownable, flexible illustration system that could work hard across diverse categories.

So, we created three custom illustration styles, led by Design Director Joe Wallis and Our very own in-house illustrator Chris Charlton. The woodcut, botanical collage, and linework styles were designed to suit different product types, all while feeling like part of the same family thanks to a shared colour palette and tonality.

Our work resulted in a single, ownable brand language that’s truly Exceptional. The WBDS judges celebrated the consistency and quality of the illustrations, as well as the strategic thinking behind using illustration as a key unifying brand device.

The Exceptional project went through the hands of everyone in the studio, so it was a really victory to see it awarded. 

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Rooted in Values: Fairfield's Farm wins bronze

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Fairfields Farm is a family-run crisp brand carving space in a category full of global players. With growth accelerating, they needed packaging that reflected their values and gave them a stronger presence in premium food retail.

We refined the identity and redesigned the packs with subtlety and purpose. In practice, this meant a refreshed logo, new typography, and a signature illustration of the farm (complete with solar panels and wildflower meadows), bringing their sustainability story to life.

We kept the white arch device for familiarity, but simplified the system across eight flavours for better clarity and shelf standout. This was evolution, not revolution, and the judges noted how we balanced refinement and storytelling to help Fairfields grow while staying true to their roots.

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Gin done proper: Wolfe Bros wins bronze

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Wolfe Bros is a small-batch Yorkshire gin brand looking to grow without losing what made it special. Their old identity was cluttered and costly to produce. Our job was to make something bolder, more distinctive, and far more efficient.

We designed a confident new brand built around a diamond device, which was a nod to the jeweller once based at the distillery’s address. A new logotype, hand-drawn illustrations, and premium printed labels cut down waste and complexity.

Crucially, we reduced eight labels per bottle to just two plus a neck seal. Now the brand not only commands attention on shelf and behind the bar, but has also cut costs by 65%.

Strong storytelling and shelf presence paired with real operational impact is what makes this work worthy of recognition. Our approach here also proves that small brands can punch way above their weight with the right identity.

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The Team Behind It All

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Every design award we win is powered by collaboration. Designers, illustrators, strategists, and account leads all play a part in making work that really works. These awards are recognition not just of outcomes, but of Our culture. We pride ourselves on brave thinking, sharp execution, and big love for great ideas.

It has to be said that trophies aren’t everything, but it is always great to see Our work resonating beyond the studio walls and to see Our team getting some well-deserved recognition. 

So, what really makes an award winning design agency?

For us, it’s not just about trophies on a shelf (though they are a nice bonus). It’s about applying strategy and craft to projects that are creatively fulfilling and commercially effective, no matter the client or category.

So whether you're a brand looking for a partner, or a designer ready to level up, let’s make something exceptional.